GDHQNBA15_2pg-Indiana Pacers

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EASTERN CONFERENCE
CENTRAL DIVISION
Indiana
After falling short in the 2013 NBA playoffs, the Indiana Pacers began
the 2013-14 season on a mission. Their goal was to secure the top seed
in the Eastern Conference and secure home-court advantage against
their nemesis, the LeBron James-led Miami Heat. Early in the season,
Indiana was dominant, blowing opponents out on a routine basis and
racing out to the lead in the league standings.
Somewhere along the way, the wheels fell off Indiana’s season.
Suddenly, the Pacers had tremendous difficulty scoring points and
winning games. Locker room turmoil followed amid accusations of
selfish play. In the end, the Pacers were somehow able to hold on to the
top seed in the Eastern Conference, but were eliminated by the Miami
Heat anyway. Now, with Paul George having suffered a gruesome injury
over the summer and Lance Stephenson departed to Charlotte, Indiana
looks more like a lottery team than a real title contender.
Defense
Last year’s Pacers team was built to play dominating defense, and
for the most part, they delivered. Hibbert is a monster of a center, a
fantastic rim protector who changes the way opponents try to score
points. Hibbert is good at just about anything as a defensive center.
He blocks shots at the rim, cuts off driving lanes, rotates to open men
and swallows counterparts who try to score on him.
Hibbert was joined by arguably the best wing defender in the NBA
in George. George is tall, long, athletic, and smart and finished second
in the NBA in Defensive Win Shares (6.4), third in individual defensive
rating, and he had a defensive Real Plus-Minus of +2.58. With George
locking down opposing wings and Hibbert controlling the paint, Indiana
ended up being the league’s top defensive team last season.
Fast forward to this season,
and the outlook is quite
different. George suffered a
brutal broken leg during the
USA Basketball training camp
in August and figures to miss
the entire season. The ever
improving Stephenson went to
the Charlotte Hornets in free
agency. What was once an
Indiana team with a fantastic
starting five is left with just
Hibbert, David West, and
George Hill intact.
While George’s absence will
certainly have a negative impact
on Indiana’s defense, the Pacers
should remain somewhat stingy
to score on. Hibbert still roams
the middle while West is a
physical presence who is also
extremely difficult to score on.
Hill is a plus defender at the
point guard position. The only
thing Indiana is truly missing is
a top wing defender now; it’s
unlikely that Solomon Hill, Chris
Copeland, or Rodney Stuckey
will be able to fill that void.
In fact, if there is any cause
for concern regarding Indiana’s defense, it comes from their reserves.
Stuckey and Copeland are unreliable defenders at best. Luis Scola
is particularly known as a defensive liability. Playing Scola alongside
Hibbert works because Hibbert can clean up a lot of messes, but
Indiana’s overall depth on defense has definitely been compromised.
Overall, a second straight year as the NBA’s top defense is probably
too much to ask for. However, the Pacers should remain a quality
defensive team even without the presence of Paul George or Lance
Stephenson. Hibbert, West, Hill, and head coach Frank Vogel will
make sure of it.
Offense
Even with Paul George in the lineup, the Pacers had serious issues
on offense. No one player in Indiana’s starting lineup was particularly
good at creating shots, even if it seemed that George should have been
able to. West is a decent bully in the low post but isn’t a stretch four
and doesn’t really create space or open shots for his teammates. Roy
Hibbert’s offense (and rebounding) completely disappeared at times. Hill
is a well-rounded point guard but not a dominant offensive force either.
Roy Hibbert
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